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Books and written work

Books: The Syrian Desert with Rene Moaterde and Le Limes de Chaleis. (The Limits of the Roman Empire.)

Poidebard and Felix Marie Charles Moatti collaborated on the influential archaeological and geographic work titled “La Piste Oubliee: A la recherche des tresors de l’Orient (The Forgotten Path: In Search of the Tresures of the East).” The book was published in 1934 and documents their joint aerial archaeological explorations in the Syrian Desert. Poidebard, the aviator, and Moatti, the photographer, used aerial surveys and photography to capture the landscapes and archaeological sites of the Syrian Desert.

This work, often referred to as “The Forgotten Path,” is known for its pioneering contributions to the field of aerial archaeology. Through their aerial photographs and surveys, Poidebard and Moatti documented ancient Roman roads, fortresses, and other archaeological features in the Syrian Desert. Their research shed light on the historical significance of this region and provided new insights into ancient civilizations that once inhabited it. (Retrieved Internet 2023.)

“The Forgotten Path” remains an important reference for scholars and researchers interested in the archaeology and history of the Middle East and the application of aerial techniques in archaeological exploration.

Theories

Poidebard made significant contributions by photographing a number of abandoned Roman forts in the area. His theory at the time was that these outposts of the Roman Empire were to hold back invaders. Although, modern thought has come to deviate from those ideas. (Retrieved Internet 2023.)

The exact timeline and reasons for the Roman withdrawal from regions within Iraq, Iran and Syria varied. In some cases, the Romans voluntarily withdrew to consolidate forces and focus on defending core territories. In other cases, they were gradually pushed out due to military defeats and external pressures. The decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5^th century CE (common era) marked a significant turning point, leading to the eventual fragmentation of the empire’s territories in the Middle East and elsewhere. (Retrieved Internet 2023.)

Cold War satellite images reveal nearly 400 Roman forts in the Middle East

News

By Ben Turner  Live Science Magazine 10/23. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/cold-war-satellite-images-reveal-nearly-400-roman-forts-in-the-middle-east?utm_term=35FB7B5F-D6F0-4F8F-B

The photos, taken in the 1960s and 1970s by the first spy satellites, reveal that the eastern border of the Roman Empire was a place of vibrant trade.

Four roman forts captured in satellite photos by the U.S. military’s Corona project, which ran from 1960 to 1972. (Image credit: CORONA/Courtesy Jesse Casana/Antiquity Publications Ltd)

Declassified images from Cold War spy satellites have revealed hundreds of previously undiscovered Roman forts in Iraq and Syria — and their existence suggests the eastern border of the ancient empire wasn’t as violent as initially thought, a new study finds.

Researchers already knew about a series of forts — spanning roughly 116,000 square miles (300,000 square kilometers) from the Tigris River in modern-day Iraq to the plains of the Euphrates River in Syria — that were once thought to belong to a north-south border wall that separated the Romans from the rival empire of Persia. 

But the distribution, from east to west, of the newfound forts along with those previously known ones, hints that they were built to facilitate peaceful trade and travel. The new study, published Thursday (Oct. 26) in the journal Antiquity, refutes a 1934 hypothesis by the French archaeologist and Jesuit priest Antoine Poidebard that the eastern fortifications were built to repel invaders.

“Since the 1930s, historians and archaeologists have debated the strategic or political purpose of this system of fortifications,” lead study author Jesse Casana, a professor of anthropology at Dartmouth College, said in a statement. “But few scholars have questioned Poidebard’s basic observation that there was a line of forts defining the eastern Roman frontier.”

Stretching across the deserts of Iraq and Syria, Poidebard discovered 116 of the second and third century A.D. forts after taking aerial photographs in the 1920s and 1930s. Looking at their placement from his biplane, which he learned to fly during World War I, Poidebard hypothesized that the square-shaped strongholds created a north-south defensive line that drove back raids from Parthians and later the Sassanid Persians. 

Until now, Poidecard’s hypothesis was widely accepted by historians. But after analyzing high-resolution images of the region taken by spy satellites in the 1960s and 1970s, the researchers discovered 396 previously unknown forts or fort-like buildings that were sprinkled widely from east to west.

This suggests the border was more fluid than first thought, with the outposts existing not along the border but through it — protecting trade caravans as they ferried people and goods between Rome and the neighboring Parthian (later Sassanid Persian) Empire. The archaeologists say this raises an important question about the border: “Was it a wall or a road?”

The researchers say their study highlights the importance of declassified images in archaeological research — especially as many of the forts revealed in the photos have now been destroyed by agricultural expansion and urbanization. They expect more discoveries to accompany the declassification of other aerial images, such as those taken by U2 spy planes.

“Careful analysis of these powerful data holds enormous potential for future discoveries in the Near East and beyond,” Casana said.  Archaeologist Poidebard sorting shards ( Bak 1928).

AERIAL ARCHAEOLOGY

Antoine Poidebard- Archeologie.culture.FR (retrieved Internet 2023.)

Jesuit missionary and explorer, Antoine Poidebard (1878-1955) settled in Beirut in 1925. Charged with mapping missions by the French mandatory authorities, he realised the extraordinary potential of aerial reconnaissance for recording archaeological data.

From the shores of the Mediterranean to the skies of the Levant (Middle East)

Provided with logistical support by the French airforce, he clocked up thousands of flying hours, mainly over the desert steppes of Syria, but also along the Mediterranean coast as far as Algeria and Tunisia. A highly talented amateur, Poidebard developed innovative technical processes and used strict procedures, paving the way for aerial archaeology as a scientific method.

Using art and technology for archaeological research

Antoine Poidebard’s archives are conserved in the Oriental Library of Saint Joseph University , which presents some of them in its virtual exhibition. It reveals the surprising conjunction between the rigours of scientific research and the artistic scope of Poidebard’s photographs, combining photography, aeronautics and archaeology. (https://www.usj.edu.lb/search.php?q=antoine%20poidebard) Universite Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth.

“Archives collected in the desert sand” 2016-2017 at the Laténium

In 2016-2017, an exhibition devoted to Antoine Poidebard, called the “Archives collected in the desert sand, from Palmyra to Cartago” was organised by the Laténium (https://latenium.ch/en/press-and-archives/exhibition-archives-old/archives-des-sables-de-palmyre-a-carthage/) (Neuchatel, SUI) to shed light on the outstanding aerial photographs taken during the interwar period by Poidebard in the Near East.

Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

SCIENTIFIC DIRECTION

Marc-Antoine Kaeser (Laténium)(Switzerland) and Lévon Nordiguian (University of Beirut)

 

Fr. Antoine Poidebard and the Middle-East.

Courtney Webb

Antoine Poidebard; Lyon, France 1878 to Beirut 1955, (77 years) was a Jesuit priest and member of the Society of Jesus.

He developed the art of aerial photography by flying over Iraq, Syria and Jordan in a biplane in the 20’s and 30’s. His numerous photographs have been used to this day and he was able to discern differences in vegetation to show abandoned Roman forts and roads.

How and why was he there? The Mandate for Syria and Lebanon was established in 1920. Under this mandate, France assumed administrative control of the territories of modern-day Syria and Lebanon. However, the actual implementation of the mandate was met with resistance from local nationalist movements and populations who sought independence.

The mandate had been granted by the League of Nations to France after World War I. The purpose was to establish governments in area previously ruled by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, Syria and Lebanon were both granted independence from France in 1943. Poidebard was financially supported by various institutions to do research, especially in Syria. One of the significant sources of funding for his work was the French government. His archaeological and aerial survey missions were often sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of National Education. (Retrieved Internet 2023.) He received additional funding from the French Institute of Archaeology in Beirut and the French School of Athens.

 map of the Middle East area

 map of Beirut, Lebanon

The Aircraft

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=927r7wHOef4  (video about Caudron G.3’s)

The Caudron G.3 was a French reconnaissance aircraft widely used during World War I. Poidebard flew the Caudron G.3 biplane for his aerial archaeological surveys in the 1920s and 1930s. The Caudron G.3 was a French reconnaissance aircraft widely used during World War I. He learned to fly during the war and then created a way to utilize the aircraft for aerial surveys of archaeological sites in Syria and parts of the Middle East, capturing valuable photographs of historical sites and landscapes from the air. His pioneering work in this area significantly contributed to the understanding of ancient civilizations in the region.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr4e23CarYY (more videos about this aircraft.)